Client Advisors: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of client advisors about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for client advisors to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of client advisors expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for client advisors.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Client Advisors?
Do client advisors need a degree? What kind of experience do client advisors typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for client advisors to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Client Advisors
Jobs Postings for Client Advisors By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 39,278 (45%)
- No Education Listed: 21,510 (25%)
- High School or GED: 12,150 (14%)
- Master's degree: 8,155 (9%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 5,351 (6%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of client advisors. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 45% of positions. In 25% of job listings no education level was listed and in 14% of postings a High School diploma or GED was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Client Advisors
Jobs Postings for Client Advisors By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 9,114 (21%)
- 2-3 Years: 19,676 (46%)
- 4-6 Years: 9,606 (22%)
- 7-9 Years: 2,354 (5%)
- 10+ Years: 2,131 (5%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for client advisors. In 46% of job postings for Client Advisors, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 22% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience, while 0-1 years of experience was sought in 21% of job postings for client advisors.
What Kind of Degree Do Client Advisors Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for client advisors, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 7 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective client advisors, and in 2023 a total of 63,862 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective client advisors.
Top Degree Programs for Client Advisors
Top 5 Degree Programs for Client Advisors (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Finance, General. | 50,779 |
| Financial Planning and Services. | 5,054 |
| Accounting and Finance. | 3,492 |
| Insurance. | 2,334 |
| Banking and Financial Support Services. | 1,034 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Finance, General. | 50,779 |
| Financial Planning and Services. | 5,054 |
| Accounting and Finance. | 3,492 |
| Insurance. | 2,334 |
| Banking and Financial Support Services. | 1,034 |
| Accounting and Related Services, Other. | 795 |
| Investments and Securities. | 374 |
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Degree Options for Client Advisors
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- Class Type: 100% online
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- Accreditation: IACBE
What Skills Do Client Advisors Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by client advisors to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for client advisors, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Client Advisors
Based on 73,805 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Client Advisors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Services | 22,390 | 30% |
| Investments | 21,284 | 29% |
| Finance | 15,763 | 21% |
| Financial Planning | 15,117 | 20% |
| Accounting | 13,549 | 18% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Client Advisors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 28,729 | 39% |
| Customer Service | 19,002 | 26% |
| Sales | 18,913 | 26% |
| Management | 16,667 | 23% |
| Leadership | 15,466 | 21% |
Based on 73,805 job postings related to client advisors, financial services was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 30% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for investments, finance, financial planning, accounting and wealth management were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for client advisors, followed by customer service, sales, management, leadership and planning.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Services | 22,390 | 30% |
| Investments | 21,284 | 29% |
| Finance | 15,763 | 21% |
| Financial Planning | 15,117 | 20% |
| Accounting | 13,549 | 18% |
| Wealth Management | 12,474 | 17% |
| Sales Prospecting | 8,577 | 12% |
| Marketing | 7,691 | 10% |
| Financial Industry Regulatory Authorities | 6,934 | 9% |
| Business Development | 6,336 | 9% |
| Customer Relationship Management | 5,682 | 8% |
| Billing | 5,523 | 7% |
| Loans | 5,474 | 7% |
| Auditing | 4,913 | 7% |
| Due Diligence | 4,722 | 6% |
| Securities (Finance) | 4,612 | 6% |
| Financial Market | 4,451 | 6% |
| Investment Management | 4,395 | 6% |
| Financial Statements | 4,213 | 6% |
| Portfolio Management | 4,119 | 6% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 28,729 | 39% |
| Customer Service | 19,002 | 26% |
| Sales | 18,913 | 26% |
| Management | 16,667 | 23% |
| Leadership | 15,466 | 21% |
| Planning | 15,028 | 20% |
| Presentations | 12,647 | 17% |
| Problem Solving | 11,730 | 16% |
| Microsoft Excel | 10,710 | 15% |
| Writing | 10,614 | 14% |
| Detail Oriented | 10,476 | 14% |
| Self-Motivation | 9,822 | 13% |
| Operations | 8,944 | 12% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 8,256 | 11% |
| Research | 8,228 | 11% |
| Microsoft Office | 8,224 | 11% |
| Coaching | 7,855 | 11% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 7,403 | 10% |
| Time Management | 7,277 | 10% |
| Multitasking | 7,055 | 10% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about client advisors? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for client advisors.
What do client advisors do?
How much do client advisors make?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.